TTC or Pregnant with an under-active Thyroid.

hi points - ditto everything ladyggg said. If you are worried it might still be an issue, then why not ask your GP if your tests can be repeated? I Had "borderline" results first time round (TSH 6.61 & T4 11.5) and had to wait 3 months before I could get mine re-tested.

FYI the "normal" (not TTC) ranges are TSH 0.25-5.0, & free T4 9-23

Opinions seem to vary about what your levels should be when TTC or pg, but the NHS guidance says TSH should be between 0.4-2 when TTC. The consultant I saw last week told me that (now I am pg) I should aim to get mine around 2-3, but as long as it was under 5 it was nothing to worry about.

tinky I realised I have only been on the pills for just over a week (not 2 as I said earlier) - I've got the week off work and seem to have lost all track of time I also really hope to loose some weight, but unfortunately I am having pg cravings for bread & butter (not my usual diet at all) so I am not holding out much hope in the short-term!

to everyone else

I got my levels tested yesterday so I'll be very interested to see if they've gone backwards a bit, as am certainly feeling more tired etc!

14 sounds low to me. It is certainly in the lower end of the range. Now if you weren't experiencing any symptoms I'd say that doesn't matter but you clearly ARE. One way to find out if the tiredness etc are due to thyroid or some other cause would be for the doctor to try you on thyroxine - if your symptoms decrease, then that would rather suggest that was the cause!
It's hard to go back to doctors again but I know if those were my levels (and symptoms) I would be asking for an increase in my current thyroxine dose.

Thanks for answering. I have felt very tired over the last few years and have aches and pains when I wake up and I seem to have a lot of hair fall out so it did make me wonder. I also don't feel as mentally 'sharp' as before and I also suffer from anxiety sometimes and feel down but I think that is more to do with the secondary infertility. A lot of my symptoms I can explain away with either running round after a toddler or feeling down about not being able to conceive.

Hi,

They are pretty normal - are you on thyroxine currently? They say TSH of under 2 ideally if ttc but this is so close I wouldn't worry if I were you. Do you feel symptomatic at all?

Hello, I am wondering if you could help me interpret my results, I just had a TSH and T4 test done, my TSH was 2.341 and my T4 is 14.1.

We are TTC No. 2 for about 15 months now and have been diagnosed with unexplained fertility - do you think my thyroid levels are ok - the GP has stated these are normal so would like any opinions on if I can go back to them on these.

Many thanks

Only started two days ago so no difference yet. Fingers crossed though. It's my weight which really worries me as I'm piling on the pounds despite eating sensibly and with PCOS that means no ovulation.

Hi guys, hope you are all well?

tinky I started my meds about 2 weeks ago & can defn tell the difference WRT tiredness, I haven't needed an afternoon nap since Friday! I am 10wks pg, so am quite frankly amazed I feel less knackered!

hi tinky
when did you start your meds? I started mine a week ago and think its making a difference in some ways already (though being about 5 weeks pregnant means I am still knackered but maybe in a slightly different way. The main change I have noticed is my mood- I have been pretty tetchy for the last few months (just ask DH!) and this seems to be much improved

hope you start to feel better soon

Hi Tinky. Hope the tablets start to have an impact on you quickly. I found they did re the tiredness, though the weight was another matter!

Hi Tinky. Hope the tablets start to have an impact on you quickly. I found they did re the tiredness, though the weight was another matter!

Hello
I have just found out I have an underactive thyroid. Quicte pleased to know that feeling exhausted is not just symptom of laziness.
Have been piling on the pounds too despite dieting so hoping that meds might help that.
I have no ovulation (I also have PCOS) so hoping to lose weight to get ovulation going.
DS took 18months+ to conceive but really want DC2 before too much longer.

In the reference guide it mentions .4 - 2 being the ideal range. Did many of you have a TSH at that level before ttc? Mine has been a steady 4 the last 6 months but wonder if I should consider another increase

I know this might be a lot of what ifs, personally I am waiting til may/june to ttc again (year since my health started to pick back up) and hopefully lose the weight I gained.

hi
I found out as I was being investigated for weird achey joints esp my feet and hands!! not typical I think but v glad they did that test or I could still be none the wiser!

I was also knackered but thought it was just being a mum, up during night to feed baby etc

I have telephone appt with my GP later on to tell her I am pregnant and see if she wants to increase my dose

I'd been very tired and symptomatic in early 20's, had bloods checked (for Thyroid and other things), TSH borderline and they wouldn't treat. Kept eye on it though and started me on Thyroxine in my late 20's.

There is a history of other autoimmune disorders in my family which put me at greater risk of developing.

Arghh, stupid phone won't let me write novel-length posts!

ladyggg it does seem like everyone one on here has had MC, but perhaps it's more because people who MC are more likely to have blood tests done which then reveal a thyroid problem? That was the only reason I found out anyway (I had been complaining of being tired for months, but my previous GP just told me that's what happens when you have a child!). How did you all find out?

Hi sunny, thanks for the info from the endocrinologist (I had to look up what one was) - how did you manage to go see one of those?

colleen sounds like you've had an awful time of it, glad you're feeling better now. I only just started on the pills last week, so am no expert, but I would say defn go see your GP if you have any concerns & get your levels re-checked.

iggy so sorry to hear about your MC. I've been temping for ages (first heard about it when trying to get pg with DD) & find it really useful. It's all very well POAS to find out that you might soon O, but only temping tells you that you've actually pushed an egg out!

Hi SSD, just to say I was on alternate 200/175mg doses when pregnant. I think its just about how easy the dose is to take (eg, I have 100mg and 25mg tablets, so can only take combinations of these unless they changed the prescription!)
My mum and her two sisters all had underactive thyroid. My mums also came on after having children.
Well I'm supposed to be ttc tonight (tmi I know!) So had better go!

Hi SSD, just to say I was on alternate 200/175mg doses when pregnant. I think its just about how easy the dose is to take (eg, I have 100mg and 25mg tablets, so can only take combinations of these unless they changed the prescription!)
My mum and her two sisters all had underactive thyroid. My mums also came on after having children.
Well I'm supposed to be ttc tonight (tmi I know!) So had better go!

Hi Colleen, I did get referred to an endocrinologist but I'm not actually sure that I needed to be. It was useful to ask him about ttc but all he said was the same as the gp, that there should not in theory be a problem if treated properly and dose increased accordingly asap into the pregnancy.

Iggi, hope you can get referred. Chocolate, yes, also my downfall. I did manage to shift some of the weight but seems to be slowly piling on again!

Does anybody have this in their family? When I was diagnosed I found out that my aunt also has it.

Thanks for the reply, I think I am just so nervous about what could go wrong that I keep pushing back TTC. Thank you so much for the advice.

Hi Colleen. I never asked to be checked before but I think it would be a good idea to see your GP, explain you would like ttc and ask them to check your levels. I found once I was properly medicated it didn't affect my pregnancy with DS at all, they treat you as a bit higher risk and keep a closer eye on the baby but was absolutely fine.

I just mc'ed my second pg sadly and asked my GP to increase my dosage in prep for my next pregnancy which she did.

Hi, glad I found this thread. October of last year I was hit really hard with hypothyroid. Terrible blurry vision, tiredness, chills, anxiety and found out that I was going years without treatment and should have. Finally after months of building up my Levo I am on 100mcg and starting to feel normal again.

My husband and I want to try for a baby next year but I am so scared seeing how terrible my health has Bern the last year. Did any of you ladies ask to see an endo or your GP before TTC?